How to Polish Marble

By Hunker Team Updated July 21, 2017

How to Polish Marble. Marble is a decorative stone that's been treasured for centuries. However, it's soft, porous and easily scratched, especially if it's exposed to everyday living. Keep your marble functional and valuable by safely cleaning and polishing it with a few common household products.

Fill a container with 1 qt. of warm water.

Spoon 3 tbsp. of baking soda into the water and stir until it dissolves.

Dunk a clean, soft cloth into the solution and wring out excess liquid.

Wipe the marble down with the cloth. Rub old or stubborn stains out of the marble with non-abrasive movements.

Leave the marble to air dry for 3 or 4 hours.

Grab four new, clean cloths.

Dampen one cloth with clean water and wipe all traces of the solution off of the marble. Use another cloth to dry and gently buff the marble.

Grind a stick of plain, white writing chalk into a powder.

Moisten another clean cloth with water and cover it with a bit of powdered chalk.

Wipe the marble using even strokes.

Let the marble dry for a few hours then moisten another cloth and thoroughly clean the surface with it. Dry the marble with the dry cloth.

Tip

If you want to buy a commercial marble polish, be sure to check labels for polishes that work with your specific type of marble. Some polishes should only be used with certain colors of marbles. Avoid purchasing polishes that have acrylic or polyurethane finishes. If possible, use microfiber cloths when cleaning marble. If cleaning and polishing a marble floor, consider using mops instead of cloths.